1. Team APCX!
Split Armature
Characters: Ciel, Penny, Xan, Aro Rating: Teen Tags: Slice of Life Word Count: 2.7k
Summary: Ciel finally finds a break in her chaotic schedule. And hates it.
tumblr hids post with links so they’ll be updated later. also i originally planned to make penny black when she gets her new body but fuk it. if i want crwby to recon without explaination then i gotta do it in my own works too. unfortunately i lost the .csp files so i can't go back an edit the illustrations
The noise in the store finally returned to normal. Or what is normal for Argus. It was far quieter than the Mantle streets Ciel was used to. It wasn’t packed with people and heaters, cramming everything together to fight off the cold. Not as much cars and that one prick blaring their horn every four seconds. Not as much coughing from Dust Miners trying to enjoy their day off and hard earned cash.
The sun was nice when it wasn’t blocked by the floating rock and factory smoke.
But Argus was a temporary stop. Her task was in Vale. Every second here was wasted time that pricked under her skin.
Ciel took three second to breath in. “Why are are we here, Ms. Polendina?” She asked, trying to keep her voice leveled. Everyone on her team was more than a handful. Even a world renown specialist and her former partner had trouble keeping them in line. The last thing Ciel wanted to do was upset her most agreeable teammate.
Almost likable, even.
Which made Ms. Penny Polendina the hardest to handle.
Polendina grinned under her large sun hat, holding it in place as she twirled in her dress swimsuit. Five seconds. Every movement smooth like clockwork. It was an adorable display. Innocent, harmless, genuine. Everything their anarchist teammates weren’t.
But nice doesn’t contribute to their assignment: Maintenance on the Argus Military Base and Investigations of the Dust Robberies in Vale.
“This is a waste of time,” Ciel said. The words lingering out and dragging with frustration, almost with the same scorn for her… partner.
It was unfair. Polendina was the opposite of her partner. No mocking reply or smug smirk. She had the skill to back up any arrogance. Penny’s cybernetic eyes were bright with curiosity instead, head tilted and some orange curls slipping out from hiding. Ciel relaxed a little. She wasn’t surprised at the burn and ache in her jaw and neck.
Her teammates were a handful, but Ms. Polendina is as gentle and kind as her father.
“Preparing for an expedition isn’t a waste of time,” Ms. Polendina said, fluctuation bouncing with her step. They’ve been trying out swim wear for the past sixteen minutes and forty-two seconds.
“Generous words for a shopping trip,” Ciel said with a roll of her eyes. “I doubt we’ll be leaving the bay.”
“But segments of the hard-light barrier will be offline while our teammates repair them!” Polendina said. In that very Polendina energetic and earnest tone. Ciel simply raised a brow as those swords flared out from behind Polendina. “We must be vigilant and combat ready!” Ciel seen what her swords can cut and shoot through. It shouldn’t look so harmless, nor cute with how those swords flexed and bounced with her.
At the noise of a worker and some gawking civilians, Ms. Polendina tucked those swords away and gave an apologetic smile. Ciel stared hard for a moment. Everything about Ms. Polendina’s movements; her shifting posture, averting eyes and nervous laugh, should be accompanied by a blush. Instead there was only a gentle huff and puffed freckled cheeks.
“I’ve seen the list,” Ciel said. Food, drinks, sunscreen and toiletries were necessities. To optimize their time, their mechanic and engineer made arrangements to stay at sea. “Floaters, a few movies, and water guns. The other two are treating it as a sea cruise.”
Polendina’s eyes only brighten, innocent smiling growing as she rocked gently on her feet. “Perhaps stress is hindering your performance, Ms Soleil.” Polendina said. Ciel was genuinely scowling at her now. Penny’s voice was too high pitch to be innocent, too smooth to be confident. She was her own brand of positive smugness and it’s what made her particularly hard to handle. “Failure to recount our missions this entire semester is a major error for one as accomplished as yourself.”
“Ugh,” Ciel rolled her eyes. No matter how high her marks were, they were still the lowest among Team APCX (Apex). "Are you done wasting time? We’ve been preparing for a total of forty-one minutes and twenty-seven seconds, ma’am." Ciel tried to forget the few extra minutes she spent comparing ridiculous floaters and water guns. If those idiots were gonna send her shopping, they would receive the most ridiculous items Ciel could find. She’ll hide the biggest water gun for herself.
“I suppose the food would be ready for pick up when we arrive but…” Penny’s voice softened, eyes glancing over Ciel’s shoulder and to the entrance. “… Are they gone?” Penny asked.
Ciel glanced around the store again. The crowd was triggered by journalist and reporters, and once they left the curious locals followed. The ones that did stay were genuinely interested in shopping and the workers subtly kept them away from Ciel and Ms. Polendina.
"If anyone does try to rush are you again, I’ll hit them with Slow," Ciel said. Judging by the frown, it wasn’t the answer Penny wanted but she retreated back into the changing room anyway.
Ciel sighed. For being the most agreeable teammate Ms. Polendina could be hard to read. Though the source of the journalist was Penny’s partner. A quick glance at the local new app still shown numerous of articles all following the same Atlesian tagline: ‘The pinnacle of achievement, the predators surpassing all other Huntsmen and Huntresses. Team APCX!’ Complete with their Faunus leader front and center. As if it inspire some kind of awe and admiration within the Mantlians and trick them into forgetting all the Faunus miners in the hospital.
Being use as propaganda against your own kind… Where Ciel could only feel bitterness, Ms. Glade must have felt a special dagger. The nicest thing about being the underestimated one was the freedom that comes with being overlooked. Ciel tried to ignore the guilt and relieve that followed that thought.
She scrolled to the other featured articles. More talk about the Abyssal Dust Company, the sudden step down of it’s founder, Aurora Glade. She expected the last segment to talk about Penny. She was the daughter the most brilliant man on Remnant and the welder of Atlas’ greatest weapon yet. Instead the cybernetic eyes were bright yellow, face set in an lingering anger that was almost stoic. The last article wasn’t about Penny. It was Ciel’s partner, Ashley Xanthic.
Even Atlas had no digital records of the woman. At least none that could be trusted-
“Xan wouldn’t appreciate the breach of privacy.” Penny said. Ciel jerked a little, not jumped, and quickly looked at Penny. She was still nervous holding her chosen swimsuits to her chest. A poor barrier. Ciel sighed tucked a few orange curls under the hat. She got a few giggles when her fingertips brushed the more sensitive spots. A good sign that Polendina was relaxing again.
“Come on, we’ll pick up the food,” Ciel said. “Then we’ll see if Ms. Glade and Xanthic are finished with the CCT AI core.”
Ms. Polendina frowned, eyes wandering the floor. “Right…”
Instead they found the crowd of journalist and reporters at the docks. It took six minutes and fifty-five seconds for the idiots to part so Ciel could drive through the gate. During the entire time photo flashes and drones were circling them. Polendina tried to shrink into her seat, pulling her hat lower despite the one-way windows.
“Xan must be furious at the lack of control…” Polendina whispered.
Ciel glanced at her, “And your not?”
“I… I am accustomed with a similar situation.” Ms. Polendina said. So Penny wasn’t furious but resigned. Ciel nodded remembering that she was talking to the daughter of Atlas’ prized scientist.
“Not much freedom with security,” Ciel said with a scowl. She was forced to slow the car down as Argus Military Personal patrolled Team APCX’s private airship.
Instead of finding their teammates deep within the base and in the CCT AI Core Room they were talking with Cordovin.
Xan was already walking towards them. Ciel knew nothing about the technology bolted into her teammates’ body, though they seemed to react with their emotions. Ms. Polendina’s bow twitched like antenna’s when she was excited. Ms. Glade vented out air from her prosthetic legs and horns when tired. Xan’s LED’s corresponded with her emotions.
The red reflecting off her hair looked lethal. Good thing Ashley Xanthic wasn’t permitted to have her weapon within city limits.
Neither Ciel or Ms. Polendina asked what the problem was. Just by restocking the airship Ciel could hear Cordovin’s shrill yells and see Ms. Glade’s eyes. Ever the business diplomat, was still formally dressed smiling calmly down at Specialist Cordovin and a few Argus guards.
Her semblance was on.
“Specialist Cordovin, I am confident in your work. Your station is surely safe enough for my team to continue our work unaccompanied.” Ms. Glade spoke. As deep as Greenleaf and as smooth and soothing as the rare diplomatic side of Ms. Hill.
Cordovin preen under the praise. At least for a few seconds, then her shoulders and back squared, “Atlas is the greatest nation because we are diligent and-”
There was a flash of Glade’s eyes. For half a second her semblance was off, the raw furry on her face highlighted by the shine of those sharp horns crowning her head. Then it was… recalibrated by Focus, back into that docile persona. Soft smile and relaxed eyes. Too perfect and too natural, so uncanny it was nearly ethereal.
Ciel pretended to ignore the way Ms. Polendina frowned and sighed. Even the most agreeable of them hated Glade’s Focus.
“We set ourselves to a higher standard to strive beyond perfection,” Ms. Glade said. It sounded familiar… like an overplayed propaganda but Ciel couldn’t remember it. Ms. Glade pulled her customized compact Scroll from her pocket, unprivatized hard-light screen already displaying their supervising officer. “Specialist Schnee has personally overseen our training within the Accelerated Program. If there are any results you are skeptical of, I’m sure Specialist Schnee would be happy to quell your doubts.” Glade’s backhanded insults were usually much more subtle, but even Cordovin can decode the threat this time. Don’t second guess your superior officer.
“T-That’s not necessary!” Cordovin said. She cleared her throat and straighten her back and shoulders. “Please proceed with your tasks as needed.” Ms. Glade nodded and quickly retreated into her airship, closing the doors before Cordovin could get another word.
As soon as the glow faded from Ms. Glade’s eyes, the act she was putting on ended. She let out a long and tired groan. It was odd seeing someone with such a powerful and heavy build slouch. “Can we… just leave yet?” Their leader mumbled. Just listening to Cordovin makes Ciel want to quit, Ms. Glade has several high profile responsibilities on top of that.
“Unfortunately we still have the hard-light barrier and the… the giant mechanical suit,” Ms. Polendina said. The two partners glanced at each other and looked away a little heart broken. Ms. Glade was excited to show her partner around but too many journalist wanted to know about Aurora Glade’s Mysterious and Sudden Change of Careers.
"We don’t. Cordovin’s literal words: Proceed with your task as needed." Xanthic said as she continued doing inventory.
“I don’t like where this is going…” Ms. Polendina said. She gave Xan a heavy look but the woman was already reorganizing the pantry. “Maintenance over vital security equipment is important for the safety of this entire city.”
“If me and Glade did things to our standards, it would take a two month to upgrade everything,” Xan scowled, "We don’t have to be physically there to do maintenance."“According the schedule and diagnostics our maintenance is. Not. Needed.” She emphasized every word, slamming jars and cans of food on the wood shelf.
Penny looked away, taking a step back towards her partner. “We shouldn’t ignore any chance to ensure other people’s safety…”
Xan growled, pushing away from the pantry and pulling out her Scroll. There was over ten missed calls with the face of CCT Technician Terra Cotta-Arc calling again. Xan answered it, holding it away from her face as Ms. Cotta-Arc immediately stared yelling.
"You asshole! Do you have any idea how long me and Saph have been planning just one simple date?! And- And I’m stuck here!!" The camera panned to the AI Core room. A handful of other CCT staff was trying to put back a gutted cables and panels. They all looked like it was the end of a graveyard shift.
“Unfortunately for everyone, Ironlimp don’t like sharing plans,” Xan said. Her yellow cybernetic eyes so bright it looked like could shoot lasers at any second. “Me and Glade did the hard part! We had to redesign a quarter of the system to keep up with demands and replace those shitty half cocked SDC components with upgraded and efficient ADC ones. For. Fucking. Free.”
Ms. Cotta-Arc sighed, “You choose to do that!”
"Actually that decision was mine, it’s not her fault. " Ms. Glade said. Ms. Glade turned the screen towards her. “I like to make sure my work lasts, Terra.”
Xan smirked, nose up in the air. Ciel was legally and literally stuck with this asshole. She knows that every move is calculated, Xan purposely tilted her head to make sure the light caught against the sharp edges of her open ‘halo.’ It looked sharper than the business woman’s horns.
"Hear that? I’m innocent."
“I question your intelligence if you can’t understand that your part of the problem.” Ciel said. Xan scowled, glaring down at her. The only thing bigger than her teammates IQ were their ego’s. Any doubt in their superiority sets them off, though from observation it does not hinder their performance.
Xan’s eyes flickered between her and Ms. Polendina… Then she smirked. Ciel’s heart dropped, guilt feeling cold in her chest.
“And thanks to Ms. Polendina, seems like your date will be pushed back even further- Ow!” Xan flinched, her Aura flaring as Ms. Glade slapped the back of her head and took the Scroll from her hands. Penny’s partner gave her an apologetic look… not that she seen it. Penny’s eyes pinched a little, no tears coming forward even if she did look torn. Ms. Glade withdrew.
“The journalist is driving me insane and we still got a job to do in Vale with the Dust Robberies,” Ms. Glade explained, without all that bullshit flowery business talk. Ms. Cotta-Arc was not moved. Nine seconds passed and every tick the technician’s blood pressure climbed. “I’ll tip everyone twice their monthly wage if you do finish the current task and run the usual maintenance on the hard-light barrier and the mech.”
The video call went silent. Ms. Cotta-Arc looking greatly conflicted. Ciel would have taken that offer in a heart beat.
Then Ms. Cotta-Arc seemed to remember who Aurora Glade and Ashley Xanthic was. The world famous weaponsmith who ran a Dust Company that rivaled the SDC and a hacker who was able to infiltrate the most secure research facility in Atlas just to prove she can.
“Payment up front.” Ms. Cotta-Arc said. “And if anything goes wrong-”
" Then it’ll be Specialist Cordovin’s fault telling us to proceed as needed," Xanthic said. “Bitch is only out here cuz she’s annoying anyway.”
“Fine, deal. Brothers, Saph is gonna kill me…” Ms. Cotta-Arc muttered as she ended the call. Xan grabbed the phone and pocked it.
“See? Everyone’s happy.” The business women said. Without her semblance that normally charming smile was weak. Ciel and Xan scoffed though Ms. Polendina’s angry huff was louder. Ms. Glade sighed a little in defeat and guilt. “They got paid double their monthly wage for just three extra jobs. The further we get from Atlas, the less people. I promise it isn’t as bad in Vale… I’ll- I’ll finally be able to show you around.”
Penny looked her partner in the eyes. Sea-green and un-Focused. Penny only sighed and turned around walking to the cockpit, “I’ll start the lift off procedures. Specialist Cordovin will want answers on why we are leaving Argus air space… and your good at talking.” Ms. Glade flinched, Faunus ears twitching low and her honest sea-green eyes looking guilty.
Xan only laughed and sneered, “Ouch.”